Dubai has a thriving night life. There are a lot of pubs and lounges here, most of which are in New Dubai. There are also some in Old Dubai (Bur Dubai) but only quite a few can boast about being classy. Estrellas is one of them. Mark and I have opposing opinions, but I totally loved the look and feel of Estrellas!

When I got an invitation to try this place out, its catchy name made me immediately say yes and I had been wanting to capture a "The Hungry Coach at The Hungry Monkey" photo since then. Hahaha!

I've never been to the US, but our recent visit to Claw BBQ has somehow made me experience what's it like to be in their bars. Deviating from the upmarket hub of Souk Al Bahar, walking into Claw, complete with the overall southern shack vibe, made me feel like I wasn't in Dubai at all!

While Filipino restaurants are gradually being known in the Dubai food scene, gastro-pubs and bars that are Filipino-themed come not very far behind. Tucked in The Q Underground in Holiday Inn, Al Barsha, which just recently opened its doors to the public, Bodega Garage promises to take you to Manila with their entertainment, food, and drinks.

Mark and I got to spend another Friday night over some drinks and chill music after a filling dinner, a couple of weekends back. Special thanks to our friends from Carter's Bar & Restaurant for having us over.

I've always thought of Dubai, being part of a Muslim country and the fact that alcoholic drinks are widely prohibited, as somewhat a monotonous and boring city especially in terms of its night life. But I was totally wrong. When it comes to night life, Dubai has got to be the liveliest night life scene. It definitely has a lot more to offer. I never thought that there are a lot of gastro pubs in Dubai, from the loud and lively pubs to the relaxed and chill ones.

I've mentioned before how I enjoy a lively crowd while sipping a glass of bubbly or cocktail drink, but of course it's also fun to just chill along with a soothing music and delicious food and drinks. And that is what I love about Muze. Located in Souk Al Bahar in Downtown Dubai, Muze combines the fine sounds of Latin, World, and Arabic fusion music in an eclectic and artistic setting.

I'm sure all of you will agree that, at least once in your life, you found it tiresome to be waking up early for work, more so during weekends. But I bet all of you will also agree that you wouldn't mind waking up early to a breakfast like this, yeah?

My first time in Tribeca was nothing short of amazing, so I was very much excited when we came back a couple of weekends back. Unlike when we first visited where the place is buzzing with people and lively music, Tribeca was more on the relaxed vibe that night.

Deli by day, grape bar by night, and a whole lot more in between--that basically sums up what Dusty's is all about. Dusty’s is a homegrown concept that portrays a mixture of different traditions and cultures into the design, ambience, and food. Named after the owner himself, Dusty Tourani, and inspired by his journeys from all over the world, this gastro-bar offers an all new and unique experience around home-cooked food concept.

Mark and I found ourselves in the streets of The Walk, in Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) last Friday, as we were invited for a night of hearty and healthy organic food and drinks at TR!BECA Kitchen + Lounge. It's name was coined from New York City's trendy neighborhood, Triangle Below Canal, and takes a great deal of its inspiration from Manhattan.

Located in Ocean View Hotel in Dubai's JBR, it's as if we were not in Dubai the moment we set foot in Tribeca. The funky interior was what we first noticed as the staff welcomed us and ushered us to our table. We were immediately attended to by one of the staff who gladly took our orders.

Choosing what to have was bit of a struggle, the happy kind of it, as the dishes were all inviting. Tribeca's menu, which is a product of chef Giovanni De Ambrosis' passion, offers a variety of organic dishes directly sourced from regional farmers and fair-trade cooperatives. It is a fusion of contemporary American and traditional Mediterranean cuisine with a bit of Italian inspiration.

Hello dear readers! How have you all been? How was your Valentine's day? Hope you all had a love-filled day. As for me, I was busy with a lot of things for the past couple of weeks and unfortunately wasn't able to update this blog. Sorry for that. But I'll try to make it up to you guys.


Got another invite for the grand opening of Bay Leaves Steak House last January 28. Another late post, I know, but I hope you guys will still read on. :p

Aside from the sophisticated ambience, trademark personalized service and good food, Segara Suites and Villas also boasts of its hotel amenities.

Bar and Pool Area

At the far end of the Segara Suites is a walkway which leads to the hotel's bar and pool area.  They also have a small playground where toddlers and the young-at-heart can enjoy. :D

After pigging out at Meat Plus Cafe, we headed to Le'Manns Go Kart. There were a lot of people when we got there so we had to wait in line for our turn.

We actually waited for around an hour. Good thing our long wait was worthwhile. For around Php 500, we got to race down the track for 10 laps. Not bad, right? :)

Plus, we got to take a photo with Vina and Shaina, who were in the crowd that night.  They, too, tried the go kart ride. :)

It was still early and we still didn't want to get back to the hotel and call it a day, so we decided to chill out first. We drove back to Subic freeport and headed to Willis Bar. We drank a few shots while being serenaded by the live band.

After a few hours of chillin' we headed to the hotel to get ourselves energized for the next day's adventures. :)


UPDATES:
April 2012: Mark and I went back to Subic together with his family for a Holy Week vacation.  We found out that Le'Manns Go Kart is already non-operational.